Cumner's Son and other South Sea Folk, Volume 2

Name: Cumner's Son and other South Sea Folk, Volume 2
Author: Gilbert Parker

The second volume of Cumner's Son and other South Sea Folk by Gilbert Parker contains a collection of short stories set in the Pacific Islands during the late nineteenth century. The book explores themes of colonialism, cultural clashes, and the impact of Western civilization on indigenous societies.

By Gilbert Parker · First published 1904 · Genre: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Short Stories · 8 chapters · 22,538 words

First lines

We were camped on the edge of a billabong. Barlas was kneading a damper, Drysdale was tenderly packing coals about the billy to make the water boil, and I was cooking the chops. The hobbled horses were picking the grass and the old-man salt-bush near, and Bimbi, the black boy, was gathering twigs and bark for the fire. That is the order of merit -- Barlas, Drysdale, myself, the horses and Bimbi. Then comes the Cadi all by himself. He is given an isolated and indolent position, because he was our guest and also because, in a way, he represented the Government. And though bushmen do not believe much in a far-off Government -- even though they say when protesting against a bad Land Law, "And your Petitioners will ever Pray," and all that kind of yabber-yabber -- they give its representative the lazy side of the fire and a fig of the best tobacco when he bails up a camp as the Cadi did ours. Stewart Ruttan, the Cadi, was the new magistrate at Windowie and Gilgan, which stand for a huge section of the Carpentaria country. He was now on his way to Gilgan to try some cases there. He was a new chum, though he had lived in Australia for years. As Barlas said, he'd been kept in a cultivation- paddock in Sydney and Brisbane; and he was now going to take the business of justice out of the hands of Heaven and its trusted agents the bushmen, and reduce the land to the peace of the Beatitudes by the imposing reign of law and summary judgments. Barlas had just said as much, though in different language.

What this Textopian page supports

Cumner's Son and other South Sea Folk, Volume 2 is listed on Textopian as a novella by Gilbert Parker, dated 1904 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novella
Author: Gilbert Parker
Date: 1904 CE
Language: English
Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Short Stories, Drama, Cultural
Length: 22,538 words
Structure: 8 chapters, 302 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Cumner's Son and other South Sea Folk, Volume 2 by Gilbert Parker
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Adventure — The book features adventurous tales set in exotic South Sea locations, focusing on exploration and discovery.
Historical Fiction — The stories are set in a historical context, reflecting the cultural and social dynamics of the South Sea islands during the colonial period.
Short Stories — The book is a collection of short stories, each with its own plot and characters, contributing to the overall narrative.
Drama — The narratives often involve dramatic conflicts and emotional intensity, highlighting personal and cultural struggles.